Effective January 1, 2012, seventeen regional substance abuse prevention coalitions were funded under an RFP that was issued by the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the fall of 2011. The goals of this project are to engage community stakeholders to address prevention priorities identified by DMHAS' Prevention Strategic Planning Committee in 2010 and to complement and reflect the first of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Eight Strategic Initiatives. The prevention priorities are:
- Reduce underage drinking
- Reduce the use of illegal substances - with a special focus on the use of opioids among young adults 18-25 years of age
- Reduce prescription medication misuse across the lifespan
- Reduce the use of new and emerging drugs of abuse across the lifespan
The coalitions will intensively collaborate with Municipal Alliances in their region, which are funded and overseen by the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Coalitions will also coordinate their efforts with those of the nine Federally-funded Drug Free Community Support Programs in New Jersey. This initiative seeks to achieve an enhanced level of communication and collaboration among all groups and organizations that are working to reduce the misuse and the harmful consequences of alcohol and drug use among the citizens of New Jersey.
Click here for a list of the Regional Coalitions
